Victor Wembanyama’s new deal just sharpened the spotlight on Chet Holmgren.
The Spurs star agreed to a $252 million extension on Saturday, choosing a max extension rather than a supermax and saving San Antonio about $50 million over the next five years. The move landed as a surprise to plenty of people, and for the Thunder it only deepened an already uncomfortable comparison.
Holmgren’s run against Wembanyama in the past Conference Finals did him no favors. He was overwhelmed in almost every phase, and it got especially rough in Game 7, when he took only two shots in what looked like a vanishing act. That series didn’t just expose a bad matchup - it raised bigger questions about Holmgren’s long-term fit.
The contract numbers make the conversation even harder to avoid. Wembanyama’s extension begins in the 2027-28 season at $43.5 million.
Holmgren will be at $44.8 million in that same year. So Oklahoma City is looking at nearly identical price tags for two players who are viewed very differently around the league.
One is widely seen as a top-five player. The other is still searching for the position where he can be most effective.
Holmgren’s issues at center have been discussed well beyond the Western Conference Finals, too. Even during the previous season, when the Thunder won the NBA Finals, coach Mark Daigneault turned to guard Alex Caruso on Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic for long stretches of the seven-game second-round series. Holmgren, meanwhile, was repeatedly pushed around by the bigger center.
That’s the bind for Oklahoma City. Holmgren doesn’t look big enough to handle fives, but there are also questions about whether he has the agility and outside shooting to live full time on the perimeter. Wembanyama’s rise only pours more fuel on that debate.
The two have been linked for years, with a playing history that goes back to 2021. They also share similar builds and, at least on paper, similar skill sets. But the gap in impact is what makes this such a problem for the Thunder.
With Wembanyama now on a contract that looks awfully close to Holmgren’s, Oklahoma City has a tougher time explaining why its own big man should be treated as untouchable. As Holmgren’s salary climbs starting in 2026-27, the pressure will only grow on Sam Presti and the Thunder to decide whether keeping him is worth the cost.
In Other News...
Thunder Fans Should Keep An Eye On This Undrafted Big
The Thunders trip through Las Vegas has started slowly, with Oklahoma City dropping its first two Summer League games, but not every part of the week has been a setback. One of the more encouraging developments has been the play of rookie Christoph Tilly, an undrafted big who has looked comfortable in the mix and given the front office something to monitor beyond the final score.
Tilly has put together a steady five-game stretch, averaging 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while showing enough feel to suggest there may be more here than a typical camp body. With the Thunders roster depth making NBA minutes a tough climb, the more realistic path may be a spot with the OKC Blue, where a developmental role could keep him in the organization and give him a chance to keep building. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Caruso Just Dropped A Big Hint About OKCs Depth
The Thunders frontcourt picture has already shifted once this offseason, with Aday Mara arriving as the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA draft and Isaiah Hartenstein back in the fold after his free-agent return. Add in the retention of key veterans like Kenrich Williams, and Oklahoma City looks built to keep the same kind of lineup flexibility that has become a calling card of the roster.
Alex Caruso sees that depth as more than just a nice luxury. He pointed to the teams versatility across guards, wings and bigs, with a particular emphasis on how many options Oklahoma City now has at center, and he framed it as the kind of strength that can help a contender absorb change while still playing its style. After last seasons run ended in the Western Conference Finals, that balance of continuity and new pieces feels especially important heading into 2026-27. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Just Made Chets Thunder Future Feel A Lot More Complicated
Victor Wembanyamas new max extension in San Antonio does more than lock up one of the leagues most singular talents. It also puts a sharper spotlight on Chet Holmgrens place in Oklahoma City, because the Thunder are already paying Holmgren like a franchise pillar and expecting him to grow into the kind of two-way force that can anchor a contender. The comparison is unavoidable now, especially with Holmgren still working through the rough edges of defending true centers.
For the Thunder, the issue is not just what Holmgren is today, but what he has to become to justify that level of investment alongside the rest of a rising roster. Oklahoma City has built its identity on flexibility, length and lineup versatility, yet Holmgrens struggles in certain matchups have already forced the team into some awkward defensive choices. If Wembanyama keeps separating himself while carrying a similar price tag, the long-term math around Holmgren could get a lot harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]